Pneumatic cleaner.



PATENTBD APR. 18, 1905.

A. E. MOORHEAD.

PNEUMATIC CLEANER.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 28 1904 Unrrnn Smerige Patented April 18, 1905.

PATENT Omron.

PNEUmATiC CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,389, dated April 18, 1905. Application filed July '28, 1904. Serial No. 218,528.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT E. MOORHEAD, a c1tizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Oakland, county of Alameda, and

State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Cleaners; and I hereby declare the follpwing to be a full, clear, andr exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to devices for pneumatically cleansing carpets, cushions, and the like, and comprises certain useful improvements in such apparatus, as hereinafter particularly described, and illustrated by drawings that form a part of this specification.

My improvement consists in a small chamber, preferably cylindrical, open at bottom and having a flaring rim adapted to fit into corners, means for applying within said chamber a narrow jet of air under pressure extending across the middle of the chamber at the bottom near the surface to be operated u on, and means for withdrawing the mingle air and dust from said chamber. The latter is provided with a series of apertures in its flaring marginal rim near the bottom and with a movable ring to vary the opening of said apertures for the purpose of admitting external air at that pomt, for equalizing the difference in volume between the incoming air under pressure and the outgoing air mingled with dust, and for modifying the artial vacuum created to prevent undue ad esion of the device to the carpet. There is also a means for downwardly directing the jets of external air coming in through said apertures against the surface o erated cppn, so' as to icklup the marginal ust and ect it into the main current.

The object of my invention is to provide a convenient and portable pneumatic device for carpets that can be applied'by hand to various surfaces and places not accessible to apparatus suitable for floors and other plane surfaces, so as to concentrate the action of Vthe air, over a small area at a time, to dislodge dirt and dust Where it is adhesive and difficult to remove, and to prevent outward escape of air and dustfrom beneath the chamber at the margin thereof. To these ends I provide devices as shown in the drawings.

Figure I is a side view of one of mvimproved carpet-cleaning devices. Fig. II is a central vertical section through the device in the plane of the discharge-orifice 14. Fig III is-a central vertical section in a plane at right angles to that of Fig. II; Fig. IV, a bottom View of the device; Fig. V, a plan view of the device.

In cleansing carpets, cushions, and the like by pneumatic implements the principal impediments met with are in presenting or applying the apparatus in corners and to irreguar surfaoes,. in rendering the apparatus convenient to handle, with but little weight and of small dimensions, and in preventing the escape of dust and dirt from beneath the implement. To these ends I provide devices now to be described..

1 is the main body of the implement, preferably of a symmetrical form and adapted to be held in the hand of an operator, provided at the top witha flexible hose 2 and inletpipe 3 and a nozzle 4 for air under pressure, also rovided with outlet-passage 5 and a flexib e hose 7 connecting with devices for producing a artial vacuum and to a suitable receptac e for dust and dirt removed from the chamber S. (Not shown.)

with a flaring or trumpet-formed extension 9 at the bottom, adapted to rest and fit upon a carpet, cushions, or other surface to be cleaned having a narrow contact, as seen at 10 in Fig. III. Around this extension 9 are a series of pprforations 12, opened and closed by a mova le register-ring 13, having corresponding perforations.

The nozzle 4 is formed with a wide narrow discharge-orifice 14, as shown in Figs. III and IV, that extends across the bottom of the chamber 1, causing a narrow stratum of air to im inge with force on the carpet or other surflice being cleaned. To diffuse the air uniforml across the orifice 14, also to combine an strengthen the ,flat sides of The main body of the implement 1 is made rent in the chamber 8.

through the pipe 2 and the nozzle against distention by air-pressure, j

'II insert therein a strut and uiding member 17, as shown in Figs. II and II.

Air admitted throughv the perforations 12 does not enter directly or radially into the chamber 8, but is deflected downward by an annular flangia 18 (shown in Fig. III) to the surface of t'e carpet and in this manner picks up the dust and dirt and carries it upward in the direction of the exhausting-curthrough' the pipe 7 is sup ated by registerperforations 12 and regu ring 13 Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as new', and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a pneumatic cleaning implement, `a hollow main body adapted to be applied and moved by an operators hand, an inlet-pi e for air under pressure, and an outlet-pipe or mingled air and dust to be removed, said main body having inlet-passages for external air near the bottom margin thereof, substantiallya's specified.

2. In a pneumatic cleaning implement, a hollow main body adapted to be applied and moved by hand, means for supplying air thereto and for withdrawing mingled air and dust therefrom, a flat fish-tail nozzle terminating close to the surface operated upon, spanning the hollow main body, and adjustable means for admitting external air tothe cavity near the bottom, substantially as specified.

3. In a pneumatic cleaning implement, a hollow-main body, means for supplying air thereto and for withdrawing mingled air and dust therefrom,l a flaring margin around the bottom of said main body, with perforations therein, and an adjustable register-ring to vary the aperture of said perforations, substantially as specified.

4. In a pneumatic cleaning implement, a hollow main body, means for su plying air thereto and for withdrawing ming ed air and dust therefrom, a flarin margin around the bottom of said main bo y, with perforations therein, an adjustable register-ring to control the admission of air through said perforations, and a circular flange inside of said fiaring margin, extending not quite down to the surface operated upon, for directing the air admitted through the perforations down- Ward upon the said surface', substantially as l specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. ,f

ALBERT E. MOORHEAD.

Witnesses:

ELMER WICKES, ALFRED A. ENQUIsT. 

